How to free up storage space on Windows 11

Windows 11 is a very capable operating system, but only if you have enough spare storage space. Running close to the limit makes almost everything run slower, and some apps may not even open. 

If you’re getting the dreaded ‘Low disk space’ warnings, your first thought might be to upgrade the capacity of your device. A larger hard drive or SSD will fix the situation immediately, but it doesn’t come cheap and often isn’t necessary. 

There are a variety of software-based methods for increasing storage space in Windows 11, almost all of which are free. These won’t delete personal files unless you want them to, but it’s still worth backing up your device before making a start. 

Here are 12 potential ways to free up space. 

Check for viruses and malware

Viruses and malware can cause subtle damage to your device, so it’s not always obvious when you have one installed. Even if they aren’t the most malicious, both can also take up valuable storage space. 

To check and remove them: 

1. In the search bar next to the Start menu, type ‘Windows Security’ and open the relevant app 

2. Click the ‘Virus & threat protection’ tab on the left 

3. Below the ‘Quick scan’ button, click ‘Scan options’ 

3. From here, select ‘Full scan’ and click the ‘Scan now’ button

This could take over an hour to complete, but it’s still worth doing. Once complete, you can be sure that there are no viruses or other malware on the device. 

The method above uses the pre-installed Microsoft Defender antivirus, but you can use a third-party app if you’d prefer. How long a full scan takes will therefore vary. 

Try ‘Cleanup recommendations’

Windows 11 can identify and recommend files that you might be able to remove. You can always review these manually, but unused files or apps or data that’s already backed up to the cloud are usually safe bets. 

1. Head to Settings > System > Storage 

2. Under ‘Storage management’, choose ‘Cleanup recommendations’ 

3. Click the ‘Temporary files’ section to expand it, then check the box next to anything you’d like to remove and click ‘Clean up’

4. Repeat for ‘Large or unused files’, ‘Files synced to the cloud’ and ‘Unused apps’ 

Use Windows 11’s Storage Sense tool

You’ve just deleted lots of unnecessary files in the last step, but some of it can be done automatically. Storage Sense removes files that you don’t need when specific criteria are met, but it’s turned off by default. 

1. Head to Settings > System > Storage 

2. Under ‘Storage management’, click the ‘Storage Sense’ toggle to turn it on

3. Click anywhere else within that box to access key options. From here, you can decide how often Storage Sense runs, choose when Downloads and Recycle Bin files are removed and allow files already in the cloud to be deleted

Uninstall apps you don’t use

This might seem like the most obvious solution, but it’s worth trying the other steps first. Some apps and games can take up a lot of space on Windows 11, and you might not even be using them: 

To review what you have installed: 

1. Head to Settings > Apps (Apps & features in version 21H2) > Installed apps 

2. Click the drop-down box next to ‘Sort by’ and choose ‘Size (Large to small)’

3. For anything you’d like to remove, click the three dots next to its size and choose ‘Uninstall’ 

4. Follow the instructions on screen if any appear 

5. Repeat for any other apps you’d like to uninstall 

Remember, it’s important to only remove apps if you’re sure what they are. If in doubt, leave it or do research as to whether you still need it. 

Delete temporary files

A temporary file is used to hold information while you make changes, ensuring nothing is lost. These are often deleted automatically once you’re done, but many can still be present. It’s safe to delete them and free up some extra space:

1. Head to Settings > System > Storage
2. Click ‘Temporary files’

3. Select the box next to anything you’d like to delete, then click ‘Remove files’

Use ‘Disk Cleanup’

Disk Cleanup is legacy Windows tool, but it can still be used as a one-stop shop for clearing plenty of unwanted files. This includes temporary files, but there’s plenty of other functionality.

1. In the search bar next to the Start menu, type ‘Disk Cleanup’ and open the relevant app 

2. Click the box next to any of the seven categories you’d like to delete, then click ‘Clean up system files’

3. Once complete, click ‘OK’ to confirm 

Delete unused user accounts

If there’s just one person using a Windows 11 device, or you’re happy for everything to be shared, there’s no need for extra user accounts. Each one of these also takes up space, so deleting it is worthwhile. 

1. Head to Settings > Accounts > Other users (‘Family & other users’ on version 21H2) 

2. Click any of the accounts you see, then choose ‘Remove’

3. From the pop-up that appears, click ‘Delete account and data’ 

4. Repeat for any other accounts you’d like to delete 

Compress files (without zipping)

Zipping files is the most common way to compress files, but the hassle of extracting them means it’s not worth it unless you’re sending them to someone else. However, there is a way to reduce the size of files folders and even entire drives without affecting their access. 

Here’s how to set up the feature, known as NTFS compression:

1. Open File Explorer and find a file, folder or disk you’d like to compress 

2. Right-click it and choose ‘Properties’

3. For a file or folder, click ‘Advanced…’, then ‘Compress contents to save disk space’ followed by ‘OK’. For a disk, you can skip the ‘Advanced…’ step

To change back at any time, follow the same steps above but uncheck the ‘Compress contents…’ box instead. 

Turn off hibernation

Hibernation is a useful feature on Windows 11, allowing you to quickly resume a session right where you left off. But if you can do without it, disabling hibernation can save a significant amount of storage space.  

1. In the search bar next to the Start menu, type ‘Command Prompt’, then choose ‘Run as administrator’ once the relevant option is selected 

2. Click ‘Yes’ to confirm if a pop-up appears 

3. Type the command ‘powercfg /hibernate off’ and hit Enter

To reverse this at any time, follow the same steps as above, but use the ‘powercfg /hibernate on’ command instead. 

Enable Compact OS

Compact OS lets you reduce the total file size of the Windows 11 without any impact on performance or functionality. It’s designed for entry-level devices with limited storage, but anyone can use it and save around 2GB of storage. 

1. In the search bar next to the Start menu, type ‘Command Prompt’, then choose ‘Run as administrator’ once the relevant option is selected 

2. Click ‘Yes’ to confirm if a pop-up appears 

3. Type the command ‘compact.exe /compactOS:always’ and hit Enter

To turn Compact OS off at any time, follow the same steps as above, but use the ‘compact.exe /compactOS:never’ command instead. 

Adjust Windows Search database

The search function in Windows 11 already draws on a lot of data, but this only increases when you add new files and apps to the device. It means the database ends up using a lot of space, but this can be modified to significantly reduce its consumption. 

1. Head to Settings > Privacy & security 

2. Under ‘Windows permissions’, choose ‘Searching Windows’

3. Scroll down to ‘Related settings’ and click ‘Advanced indexing options’

4. From the window that appears, click ‘Advanced’ 

5. Under ‘Troubleshooting’, click ‘Rebuild’

6. Click ‘OK’ to confirm 

After a few minutes, the search database will be rebuilt to default settings. You might notice incomplete search results during this time, but it won’t last for long. 

Move important files off your device

If you’ve tried all the steps above but still need to save more space, it’s time to move files you need off your device. This doesn’t mean deleting them: just making sure they’re backed up elsewhere.  

The easiest option is to upload to a cloud storage service. OneDrive is built into Windows 11, but there are plenty of alternatives worth considering. A OneDrive folder will automatically appear in File Explorer, linked to the Microsoft account you used to sign in. 

Anything you move there will be automatically uploaded and available across all your devices, but it’s worth heading to the OneDrive website from a different device to make sure they’re accessible. You can then delete from the original file location, but make sure you don’t touch the OneDrive folder. 

Just be aware, Microsoft limits you to 5GB of storage on the free plan. Subscriptions start at $19.99/£19.99 per year or $1.99/£1.99 per month. 

Alternatively, you can move large files onto a portable hard drive or SSD. There are some good affordable options out there, but there’s always the chance of it becoming corrupted or lost. A combination of the two is ideal.

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